Share this article

Careless smoking blamed for Lockport apartment fire

Careless smoking was blamed for a fire Sunday that caused damage to a three-family residence in Lockport.

The Lockport Fire Department arrived on the scene at 10:38 a.m. and determined that the fire was confined to a second-floor bedroom and the eave line of the roof at 209 Church St. After the fire was extinguished, firefighters checked to see if the fire had extended to any other area of the structure, and found no other damage. Fire officials said the interior of the structure did sustain some minor heat and smoke damage, along with a small amount of water damage caused by the 245 gallons of water used to extinguish the fire.

After speaking to witnesses and investigating the area of the fire, fire officials said it was determined that the cause was careless smoking by the apartment’s occupant who was asleep in bed at the time the fire started. He was treated on scene by Twin City Ambulance personnel for smoke inhalation. However, he refused to be transported to a hospital for further evaluation, fire officials said.

No other injuries were reported and other tenants in the building were able to return to their respective apartments.

The damage from the fire was estimated at $8,270 to the building and $3,000 to the contents.

Harold McNeil – Harold McNeil is a native of Brooklyn. He previously worked as a reporter for the former WEBR 970 AM public radio station and later for the Niagara Gazette, a Gannett-owned newspaper. He has been a staff reporter for The Buffalo News since 1989.